1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical drainage devices and more particularly to an apparatus for draining a surgical wound whereby one or more drainage reservoirs is easily and securely fastened to a belt within sight and reach of the patient.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Pickens, U.S. D290,306 describes a combined belt and tennis ball holder.
Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,923 describes a medical tube securing device, for securing tubes such as gastrostomy tubes which project from a person""s body, and comprises an openable pouch having a hole in the back portion thereof. A tube is pulled through the hole in the pouch, the pouch is secured to the body of the user, and the pouch is closed, thereby enclosing therewithin the free portion of the tube. In this manner, the portion of the tube projecting from the user""s body is neither susceptible to being pulled by the user""s hands, nor likely to be engaged by objects around the user; hence, the incidence of accidental, premature removal of the tube is greatly reduced. In an alternate embodiment, fasteners are also provided to reduce the possibility of the tube sliding into the user""s body.
Hannemann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,846 describes an article of sportsman""s equipment for use by sportsmen engaged in endurance oriented activities such as marathons, etc., in which a plurality, generally from four to eight pouches for nutrients, are provided on a belt. The belt and pouches are made of flexible sheet material having a weight of not more than 7.5 ounces/sq.yd. and preferably from about 1.75 to about 6.0 ounces/sq.yd.
Madden et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,464 describes a band for securing and aligning medical tubing relative a portion of a human body including primary and secondary straps constructed of Velcro(trademark). The primary strap includes a male Velcro(trademark) portion fastened to the foam substrate of the Velcro(trademark) so that the primary strap can be adjustably fastened to itself about a portion of a human body. The secondary strap includes one or more male Velcro(trademark) portions attached to the foam substrate of the Velcro(trademark). The secondary strap attaches at its ends anywhere along the primary strap, trapping the medical tubing between its ends and the primary strap to secure the medical tubing in place.
Fentress et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,745 describes medical tubing retaining device and method to use the same. More particularly, it relates to a one-piece flexible band containing members to form a sling. The sling is of sufficient length to retain coiled medical tubing when affixed to the band. This device is used to retain tubing from indwelling devices such as catheters.
Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,285 describes an apparatus for holding a catheter of a type having a flexible tube which can have one end thereof which extends into a large vein near a heart. The tube has a closure cap on the other end thereof for allowing the introduction of medications or fluids into the blood in the tube so that they can be quickly mixed with blood and thereby transported to other parts of the body for permitting blood to be quickly withdrawn therefrom. An elongated, flexible, elastic member is adapted to extend completely around the chest of a person and over the flexible tube at the location where the tube exits the body. Hook and loop closure members are provided on the flexible members for holding the tube in a coiled position adjacent the flexible member. The flap is provided with hook and loop fasteners for selectively covering up the coiled tube when not in use, but allowing easy access to the tube for adding medications, drawing blood, or to change the entire securing apparatus from time to time so that it can be washed, cleaned and re-used. Also, elastic and has hook and loop fasteners on the ends thereof so that it can be easily stretched and fastened around the chest.
Militzer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,282 describes a belt for stabilizing an implanted peritoneal dialysis catheter exiting from the abdomen of a user and having a valve at one end. The belt includes a body of elasticized fabric designed to encircle the patient, two fasteners with hook and pile features, and a receptacle. In addition, a relatively small adhesive-backed member, having adhesive on its inner surface and having a pile member on its outer surface, surrounds a portion of the catheter tubing at a point near where the tubing exits the user. One of the two fasteners secures and stabilizes the tubing to the belt body by pressing against the pile outer surface of the adhesive-backed member and subsequently is secured to itself. The second fastener is used to further secure the tubing against the belt body at a distance from the one fastener. The receptacle, or envelope, integral to the belt body, is used to securely hold the valve end of the catheter against the belt body. The method of using the present invention is also described.
Clemens, W094/12231 describes an endotracheal tube holding and securing device, adjustable using a strap including mating hook and loop type fastener pads, which is used to hold an endotracheal tube in place after intubation has been performed. The endotracheal tube holder includes two identical hook-shaped members each having a hook portion. One hook-shaped member is inverted, superimposed and slidably connected to the second hook-shaped member. In this orientation, the curved faces of the hook-shaped members form a xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d shaped gripper used for holding the endotracheal tube. The strap is used to both secure the endotracheal tube holder to the patient""s face and to apply a force at the end of each hook-shaped member to cause each member to slide in the direction of the applied force, causing the tube to be firmly gripped between the two curved faces of the holder.
The prior art teaches the use of belts for supporting tubing and holding medical devices. However, the prior art does not teach a belt having elongate surface fasteners positioned at the front of the belt and adapted for securing loops of drainage bulbs that are transparent for visual recognition of fill levels. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
A belt extends about the waist of a patient and is secured at a selected tightness thereon, the securing means being adjustable as to said tightness. An outside surface of the belt provides plural spaced apart elongate fasteners aligned with a longitudinal axis of the belt, each of the fasteners comprising a first surface attachment element integral with the outside surface of the belt, and a second surface attachment element permanently fastened at one end of the first surface attachment element and extending longitudinally in removable, mutually engaged contact with the first surface attachment element. A fluid storing bulb has an inlet nipple adapted for receiving a fluid conduit for conducting a bodily fluid into the bulb, and has an outlet nipple adapted for expulsing the fluid collected. A stopper, temporarily seals the outlet nipple when it is not in use. An attachment band provides a loop adapted for receiving one of the second surface attachment elements for engaging the fluid storing bulb with the belt within reach of a person wearing the belt. A fluid conduit engages the inlet nipple of the fluid storing bulb at one end, and at the other end, the source of the bodily fluid.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drainage belt having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such a belt capable of holding plural drainage devices within view of the wearer.
A further objective is to provide such a belt capable, of quick and easy replacement of the drainage devices.
A still further objective is to provide such a belt capable of supporting drainage devices at waist level.
A final objective is to provide such a belt whereby the status of fill of the drainage device is visible.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.